Only But Not Lonely:
12 Awesome Books for Only Children
by Tom Burns
The Boxcar Children, the Pevensie family, the Weasley twins, the Baudelaire siblings — children’s literature has a long history of celebrating the virtues of having a brother or a sister (or both). But what about the only children, the kids who have to solve mysteries or rule Narnia all on their own? Who celebrates them? (Aside from their parents.)
Only children are a special, self-reliant breed who aren’t defined by their lack of siblings. If you have just one kid (or if your kid is just sick of their siblings at the moment), here are some terrific kids’ books that really show off what it means to be an empowered “only.”
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Druthers
Available from:It’s a rainy day, and Penelope has never been more bored in her life. “If you had your druthers,” Penelope’s dad asks, “what would you do?” Penelope’s druthers quickly escalate from an imaginary day at the zoo to blasting off to the moon — as their house becomes increasingly chaotic — in this sweet depiction of an only child and her father spending a fun-filled day together.
(Ages 2 – 5)Also available from: -
Llama Llama Loves to Read
Available from:In this addition to the kid-favorite Llama Llama series, our only-child-llama can’t wait to share his new reading skills with Mama Llama when he gets home from school. He’s spent all day practicing his letters, reading stories, and even going on a special trip to the library to pick out a new book. This whole series is brimming with happy tales of a single kiddo in a single-parent family.
(Ages 3 – 5)Also available from: -
Wacky Wednesday
Available from:It all starts when our main character wakes up one morning to find a shoe on the wall. That’s quite wacky! Shouldn’t be there at all, writes the infamous Dr. Seuss. As the child goes throughout the day pointing out increasingly wackier occurrences, young readers get the chance to uncover these silly slip-ups, in a Beginner Books title that encourages independent reading for plucky, independent readers.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
Blueberries for Sal
Available from:A Caldecott Honor Book beloved since 1948, Blueberries for Sal features a mother and daughter out for a day of blueberry picking. Distracted by finding the best blueberries, Sal doesn’t notice when she starts following a mama bear instead of her mother; and Sal’s mother doesn’t think twice about the small bear searching for blueberries with her. It’s a sweet story of mothers and their solo children spending quality time together.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
Whistle for Willie
Available from:Fans of the enormously popular The Snowy Day will love Ezra Jack Keats’s follow-up picture book, Whistle for Willie, which finds Peter on a hot summer’s day as he longs to be able to call his dog with a sharp, clear whistle. Filled with Keats’s signature artwork, it’s a wonderful portrait of a self-reliant child living in the city.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
The Shrinking of Treehorn
Available from:This odd little gem — illustrated by the creator of the gorgeously morbid The Gashlycrumb Tinies — follows an only child named Treehorn, who realizes, one day, that he’s getting smaller and smaller, but no one believes him. It’s a darkly funny tale, perfect for any kid who ever felt ignored, and the completely unflappable Treehorn makes for a wonderful only-child protagonist.
(Ages 5 – 8)Also available from: -
The Only Child
Available from:In the magical, wordless style of The Snowman, Guojing illustrates a gorgeously evocative, dream-world story of a little girl who follows a stag into a strange and astonishing world. Capturing the complex emotional lives of children and the gentle spaces of longing and imagination, The Only Child is a magnificent piece of art that resonates with all ages.
(Ages 5 – 9)Also available from: -
Only Emma
Available from:In this fun early chapter book, 8-year-old Emma struggles with a series of uncomfortable changes. She and her mom downsize to a smaller house, she changes schools, and, most significantly, her prized only-child status is challenged when her mom has to babysit a messy 4-year-old for a whole week. Emma’s entertainingly headstrong narration gives a great voice to the anxieties and inner monologues of the only child.
(Ages 8 – 12)Also available from: -
Nim's Island
Available from:An intrepid island girl left to her own devices while her father’s off studying plankton, Nim is a modern-day Robinson Crusoe-type hero for only children. She can do it all — climb palm trees, start fires, take care of her quirky iguana — and she’s got a mysterious email pen pal to boot. When her father’s return is delayed, she’ll have to learn to be more independent than ever before.
(Ages 8 – 12)Also available from: -
Pippi Longstocking
Available from:The original awesome only child. Because, yeah, Tommy and Annika seem like nice siblings, but their next-door neighbor lives on her own, has her own horse, can beat up the strongest man in the world, and she’s swimming in pirate treasure. Pippi is independence personified and, when kids dream about being an only child, her life is what they dream about. And lucky for them, they can keep following Pippi's adventures throughout the entire series.
(Ages 8 – 12)Also available from: -
The Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s treasured classic gets a charming makeover with this artful, illustrated edition. Not only is young Mary Lennox an only child, but she’s also recently orphaned and now in the care of her neglectful uncle, Archibald Craven. When Mary discovers the titular secret garden tucked behind walls, she starts tending to the garden, and in turn also tends to herself and her new family unit.
(Ages 8 – 12) -
Danny the Champion of the World
Available from:Roald Dahl is an expert at writing fantastic only children — in books like George's Marvelous Medicine, The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — but the title character from Danny the Champion of the World is one of his best. The fiercely independent Danny refuses to let a slight against his cherished father go unpunished, so he comes up with a crazy, over-the-top scheme to ruin a local bigshot’s annual pheasant hunt. Single-kid Danny’s warm relationship with his single father gives this silly, subtle story its beating heart.
(Ages 8 – 12)Also available from:
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2021.